I am inspired by the oak trees of the East Bay hills, and the way they stand and grow in relation to each other. The still gestures of trees that live in proximity over many years can be peculiarly expressive of a relationship that develops over time. My sources are photographs I take while hiking in the hills. In all the photographs I choose to work with, the way the trees bend or evoke some gesture or relation to each other is what attracts me and makes me want to explore further through painting. I don’t want to copy what’s in a photo, but take it as a point of departure, to discover how I can show, with forms, strokes, colors, darks, and lights, what emotion, sometimes seemingly parallel to the human world, is in these trees and their surroundings.
